HODINKEE Vol. 2: A Designers Perspective

- By Chase Monico (PA) 07/02/18

HODINKEE Vol. 2 Cover. Photograph by Chase Monico.

Wristwatch News Site HODINKEE has released the second volume of its magazine. HODINKEE started as an online magazine founded in 2008 by Benjamin Clymer. The site quickly grew in size and has become one of the biggest sites for modern and vintage wristwatch lovers. Not only has HODINKEE created a print magazine but it also has an IPhone app and a store that sells new and vintage watches, straps, tools, books, and other accessories. HODINKEE has appeared in Time magazine’s 50 Best Websites list in 2013, and was invited to the launch of the Apple Watch in 2014.

Image from article A Night Out discussing elegant wristwatches. Watch shown is a Grand Seiko SBGW231. Photo by Chase Monico.

This magazine looks more like a book or issue of Vogue than the standard, off-the-shelf monthly issue. Coming in at 160 pages, the magazine is a “PUR” perfect bound magazine printed by Hemlock. PUR binding is a technique using polyurethane reactive glue that produces the most durable glue binding available. This prevents the magazine from cracking when opened wide. Earlier, we reviewed HODINKEE Vol. 1, which featured a photograph of Paul Newman’s Paul Newman Daytona on the cover. This iconic watch that sold at auction for a staggering $17.75 million.

For Volume 2, HODINKEE decided to use a photo of Jonathan Ive, who designed the Apple watch for its cover. This watch ended up becoming the world’s top selling wristwatch. The cover is printed on 130 weight McCoy Silk Cover paper. The front cover is a matte textured gray with the high-gloss image of Jonathan Ive, the Chief Design Officer of Apple, Inc., in the center of the cover. The back cover is a Cartier ad with a glamor shot of the new Cartier Santos. Hodinkee writer, Stephen Pulvirent, spent a week with this collection, which can be found here. The interior is printed on 100 weight McCoy Silk Text with a flood satin aqueous coating. The magazine features full bleed and beautifully framed images with spectacular use of white space and margins. Creative Director Jay Gullion, Design Director Adam Kopec, and Design Associate Walker Tovin keep with the sleek overall identity of HODINKEE by using fonts, such as Portrait Text, and Brown Pro.

The magazine features high-quality advertisements from watch brands, such as Omega, Vacheron Constantin, Grand Seiko, as well as an ad from Cadillac. Many more brands are highlighted throughout the magazine in articles, such as A. Lange & Söhne.

This magazine also features articles about the history of the dive watch; why people, such as, filmmaker Spike Lee, collect watches; a look at Patek Philippe’s Calatrava collection; an article about Grand Seiko; and interviews with people, such as the Jonathan Ive and David Humm.

In the first article of HODINKEE Jason Heaton tells how the dive watch came to be after the discovery of the cause of caisson disease and the bends; development of the Rolex Oyster case allowed the modern dive watch to come to fruition.

Image of introduction of article The First M discussing the BMW M1. Photo by Chase Monico.

Some of the articles are not watch related and discuss other luxury items, such as the BMW M1, London’s architecture, James Marsden’s guide to LA, and Hitoshi Tsujimoto’s collection of Leica Cameras. These articles show the background of art and design that this magazine holds. In their article about the BMW M1, they discuss pop artist Andy Warhol and how he created the livery for the Art Car version of the M1.

Hitoshi Tsujimoto’s collection of Leica cameras reflects the use of beautiful photography throughout the magazine. The Leica is one of the most iconic cameras of all time, used by photographers, such as Cartier-Bresson, who created the idea of the decisive moment. The small form factor and quick speed of the Leica camera allowed him to photograph on overcast days and allowed him to wait for the shot to align itself leading to photographs, such as Exposing of A Gestapo Informer and Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare. James Marsden, Westworld Actor and Watch Collector, discusses many different places he enjoys visiting in Los Angeles from beautiful places, such as the Paseo Miramar Trail, to restaurants and bars (e.g., Gjelina and The Varnish). These places are shown with more beautiful photography.

Image from the article The Collectors: Hitoshi Tsujimoto. The Leica M6 Titanium Edition is one of many iconic Leica cameras in Mr. Tsujimoto collection. Photo by Chase Monico.

The magazine is finished with closing thoughts from Scott Dadich, who is the cofounder of Godfrey Dadich Partners. This San Francisco design firm has worked with Symantec and the Obama Foundation. Dadich was also the former editor-in-chief of Wired magazine. He discusses how he has used watches to keep track of all of the accomplishments throughout his life. Scott Dadich celebrates symbolic milestones—big or small—by purchasing Rolex watches to commemorate his accomplishments reminding him how the years added up and how he got to where he is today.

Image of Paseo Miramar Trial from James Marsden’s Los Angles city guide. Photograph by Chase Monico.

For those who have this fortune, this is a connection into a community of luxury watches and life. For those who are less fortunate, this magazine is a beautiful way to experience this lifestyle vicariously. On HODINKEE’s online site is a column called “The Value Proposition” that features watches in a more budget friendly price range that even a college student could purchase to commemorate a meaningful event in their life. This magazine is not only a good read but can become a beautifully designed photographic coffee table book for any watch lover.